Harry Potter and the Medallion of Darkness
by Tonks85
Summary: Harry Potter is about to enter his 6th year at Hogwarts.With the guilt of lastyears events still haunting him he decides to push his friends farther away. What he doesnt know is that something he pocesses will change eveything.
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: I don't own any known character in this story guys as you already know :) they are all owned by the talented J.K Rowling.  
  
Chapter One  
Birthday Wishes  
  
The sun slowly set at number four, Privet Drive, as a teenage boy lay in his bed staring up at the ceiling, which grew steadily darker as the night went on. This became a routine for sixteen-year-old Harry Potter.  
His whole world felt like it came crashing down when his godfather died, guilt filling every ounce of him. He kept on replaying the 'what if' game over and over in his mind, scolding himself for not listening to Hermione, for having a saving people thing, like she had told him, and for not taking his occlumancy lessons seriously when he should have. He often found it easier to put blame on Snape, but deep down he knew Snape did all he could and that the true reason his only parental figure he ever knew was gone was because of him. Every so often Dumbledore's calm voice would register into the back of his mind, saying how he wasn't to blame for all this, that Sirius' death wasn't his fault, but he knew it was, no one could convince him otherwise. It seemed like he couldn't get the vision of his deceased godfather from his mind. The look on his worn face as he passed through the veil.  
Just then, a small tapping was heard which brought Harry away from his thoughts and onto a small fluttering owl outside his window. Recognising this as Ron's owl, Pig, he quickly opened the window allowing the tiny owl inside where he hooted happily, obviously very proud of his work at delivering the package.  
" Shh, Uncle Vernon will hear you, stay still!" Harry grunted, finally managing to hold the over excited owl still so he could retrieve the large package that he had brought. Hedwig's enormous amber eyes looked at the small owl with annoyance as he finally took a rest and began drinking from her water.  
Harry instantly recognised the first letter as Ron's and tore it open as quickly as he could.  
  
Dear Harry, Happy Birthday! I hope the muggles are treating you all right, especially since the Order is keeping in close contact with you.  
  
Harry laughed to himself as he remembered his beefy- necked uncle being threatened by Moody as they departed King's Cross.  
  
Mum says someone from the Order will come and get you tomorrow evening around five o'clock to bring you back here. Hermione is coming as well. I attached some chocolate Frogs and some Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans for you to eat in the meantime. Reply when you receive this. See you soon Ron  
  
Harry glanced at the pile of his favourite wizard candy and smiled as he noticed another package was inside with a small letter. He knew instantly that it was from Hermione as he tore it open.  
  
Dear Harry,  
Happy Birthday! hope everything is well with you and that you are holding up ok. My family and I just got back from vacation. We went to America and it was a wonderful trip. We visited this all magic village just outside of New York where I bought this interesting book on ancient wizarding mysteries. I'm already half way through; it is such a good read. I attached a book I saw in a small shop in America that I had to buy for you. I hope you enjoy it! Ron mentioned that someone from the Order was going to come and get you. I am heading there too as soon as I can. Hope to see you soon.  
  
Love From  
Hermione  
  
P.S. Have you heard anything about your OWLS yet? I haven't and I am quite nervous.  
  
It was a known fact that Hermione was the smartest student in their year and Harry knew that his best friend would have nothing to worry about when it came to her Owls. To be honest, he never even thought about his OWLS, they must have slipped his mind. With the previous years events still haunting him however, things that once seemed so important to him weren't anymore.  
He then opened the book that Hermione had bought him and saw that it was a book about his favourite sport, Quidditch. He flipped through the books colourful moving pictures and was interested to see that it talked about a lot of the American teams as well.  
"Wow, thanks, Hermione" Harry whispered as he placed the book down on his desk and set his eyes on Pig, who was hooting happily beside Hedwig.  
" I guess your waiting for a reply," he told the small owl as he went and found a spare piece of parchment where he quickly scribbled a reply.  
  
Dear Ron,  
  
Thank you for the gift! I sure could use the chocolate frogs right now. Tell your mom I'll be ready and packed tomorrow evening and that I am looking forward to it.  
From  
Harry  
  
He then attached the piece of parchment to Pig and watched as the minute owl disappeared into the night sky.  
Sighing, Harry lied down on his bed; sleep suddenly taking over his body. His last thought before drifting off was that he was soon going to be back with his best friends.  
  
The next morning when Harry went downstairs to find that the Dursley's were already at the breakfast table. Uncle Vernon had his large nose stuffed into the mornings paper while Dudley sat there, his chubby fingers picking at the assortment of fresh fruit infront of him, obviously wishing he had a large plate of bacon infront of him instead.  
"Eat up popkin, you need your nourishment" aunt Petunia said, smoothing down Dudley's hair.  
" Morning" Harry said, taking a seat across from his cousin and grabbing a piece of toast. He received no reply, except for the small grunt his uncle made, if you would call that a reply. Harry didn't care though; it was big improvement from his previous summer's. Moody's threat seemed to help a lot and Harry would even remind his uncle about this whenever he seemed to forget.  
" Uncle Vernon?"  
Grunt.  
" I was wondering if it was alright if I could stay with my friend for the remainder of the summer?"  
Grunt.  
" I'm sure my one friend would be quite angry if I couldn't go, you remember him right? the one with the glass eye?"  
A small clang could be heard as his uncle seemed to have dropped his fork. Harry knew he had got his uncle's attention.  
" How do you plan on getting there, boy?" his uncle replied, setting the paper down and revealing his pudgy face.  
Harry thought about this for a second. He honestly didn't know how they were coming.  
" er-I don't know" was all he could think of to say.  
" Well, I can tell you this much, if they think they are coming in here and blowing apart my living room again, they are wrong" he grunted. " Fortunately, your aunt, Dudley and I won't be here, we are going to visit Marge."  
Harry beamed at the thought that the Dursley's wouldn't be home when he left.  
" Thanks, Uncle Vernon" he said as he excused himself from the table not bothering to hear his uncle's reply as he ran up the stairs, two at time.  
Harry felt like five o'clock would never come, time seemed to be ticking by slowly as ten minutes seemed like an hour. Finally, the Dursley's left around 4:30, his uncle warning him to not touch their things or go anywhere near their brand new stereo and VCR they had just recently bought.  
  
" If I find that one thing is broken or misplaced, boy" he had warned as he stood in the entrance of Harry's room. Slamming his bedroom door shut he heard his uncle exit the house, start the family car and drive away.  
Harry decided to wait downstairs once the Dursley's had left. Sitting on the couch he watched the clock hit quarter to five, ten to five, and then finally five o'clock. He eyed the closed up fireplace suspiciously, half expecting a large explosion to come from it like two years previous when Mr. Weasley came to get him for the Quidditch World Cup, but nothing came. He was about to think that whoever was coming was going to be late when he heard a loud crash from outside. Bolting out of his seat, he ran to the front door and opened it to see two figures. One was a young women who was now picking up the fallen trashcans. She had a heart shaped face and medium length blonde hair that fell to her shoulders. The other was a man, who's face looked exactly like it did the lastime he saw it.  
" Sorry about that Harry," Tonks smiled " I am such a klutz."  
" Harry, how are you doing?" came the male voice.  
Harry gave a small smile as he looked up into the face of Professor Lupin.  
  
A/N: Please R&R guys :) this is my first fan fic and I want to know if I should post more or not. 


	2. Back To Grimmauld Place

Chapter Two  
Back to Grimmauld Place  
  
" I'm-er-fine professor Lupin" Harry replied stepping to the side so they could enter the house.  
" No need to call me professor anymore, Harry, I haven't been your professor for three years" He said, smiling warmly as he placed his hand on Harry's shoulder. Harry nodded as he watched Tonks examine the Dursley's tidy living room.  
" This place is always too tidy" she said matter of factly, her hands resting on her hips. Lupin gave a small laugh and then turned his attention back to Harry.  
" You all ready, Harry?"  
" Yea, I have everything with me" he replied, pointing to the large trunk and the empty birdcage by his feet. He had told Hedwig earlier in the day to go and meet up with Ron and that he'll be there shortly, which was less of a hassle for him.  
" We are travelling back by broom, since you are still too young to apparate and I reckon your relatives wouldn't be too pleased if we used their fireplace again" Lupin said warmly.  
" Er-where are we going? Are we going to the Burrow?" Harry questioned. He couldn't wait to go back to the Burrow, he loved it there. When he was there he felt like he was part of the Weasley family. Harry thought back to the time last year when Mrs. Weasley stated that Harry was like her son and a small smile krept to his face.  
He then noticed that Lupin and Tonks had given each other uneasy looks. Lupin gave a nervous cough before he spoke.  
" No, Harry, we are heading back to Grimmauld place, actually."  
"What?" he said, his heart dropping. The last place he wanted to be right now was in the house of his deceased godfather. The place just brought back too many memories that Harry wasn't ready to deal with.  
" Harry, we have no other choice" came Lupin's calm voice.  
" Why can't we head to the Burrow? or-or some other place?" Harry said, his voice beginning to rise.  
" Grimmauld place is much more safe right now, Harry. " Lupin replied in a sympathetic voice. " I know how hard it is for you to go back there-"  
" I don't want to go there," Harry said, urgently. Lupin sighed, running his hand through his speckled grey hair.  
" I know you miss him, Harry, I do too."  
" You don't act like it" Harry said, instantly regretting what he had said when he saw the look on his old professors face. He knew it wasn't Lupin's fault he had to go back to the house he wasn't ready to see, but Harry couldn't understand how Lupin could loose another best friend and still act so calm. It was like he didn't want anyone to see his feelings.  
Lupin looked down at Harry for a few seconds before speaking, hurt written all over his middle-aged face.  
" Right then... let's go you two..grab your broom Harry" he said, not glancing at Harry as he exited the front door. Harry sighed as Tonks put her hand on his shoulder.  
" Come on, Harry, let's go" she smiled, leading him outside onto the front lawn.  
They proceeded out onto the Dursley's front grass and waited for Lupin's signal  
" Mount your brooms!" he called back to Tonks and Harry.  
Harry did what he was told and soon found himself soaring high into the air on his Firebolt which Sirius had given him in his third year. He felt free on his firebolt, the wind whipping through his hair, felt like he didn't have a care in the world.  
It didn't take them long to reach Grimmauld place. Memories instantly came flooding back to him as he stepped into the familiar, gloomy house. He half expected Sirius to rush into the room any second now and greet him. His heart sank as he realised that that would never happen.  
" Harry, dear!" came Mrs. Weasley's voice. She wrapped Harry into a motherly hug.  
" How are you?."  
Harry gave her a forced smile as Lupin set his luggage down onto the floor.  
" Good" he lied.  
Mrs. Weasley must of knew that he was lying since she gave him a worried stare.  
" Why don't you head upstairs to where Ron is, Harry, he should be in the same room that you were in last summer."  
Harry nodded as he picked up his luggage.  
" Would you like help with that, Harry?" Tonks asked in her cheerful voice.Harry shook his head.  
" I've got it, thanks"  
He headed up the creaking stairs and made his way to the same bedroom Ron and him had slept in the previous summer. Opening the door quietly he noticed Ron and Ginny were in a good game of wizards chess, while Hermione sat cross legged beside Ginny, looking bored out of her mind. She was the first to spot Harry.  
" Harry!" she shouted, jumping of the bed and giving him a hug that felt like it was going to break one of his ribs.Her usual bushy brown hair was tamer than he remembered it.  
" Er-hey" he replied looking at Hermione first then at Ron and Ginny, their game of chess lay forgotten on the bed.  
"Harry, mate, we didn't expect you so soon" Ron spoke up.  
"Yea, well.." he trailed off, not wanting to tell them about his conversation with Lupin. He decided to himself he was going to go and apoligise to his former teacher before dinner.  
" How are you, Harry?" Ginny asked. Harry made his way over to the opposite bed they were sitting on and threw his luggage on it.  
" I've been better" he sighed, sitting down on the bed and looking around the familiar room.  
His three friends eyed him as he sat there more quietly then he usually did. He still hadn't told them about the biggest secret of all, the one he had been hiding inside of him since last June. The one about the prophecy. He spent all summer trying to push it out of his mind and thoughts, just like Sirius' death.  
" It's just weird being back here." he finally spoke up.  
Hermione gave him a resurring look from the opposite bed as an awkward silence filled the room.Fortunatly, it was broken by Mrs. Weasley opening the door and looking around.  
" Dinner is on the table" she said cheerfully. " Harry, dear, I think Remus is upstairs with Buckbeak, would you mind telling him dinner is ready?" Harry nodded at her as he left the room. This was the perfect time to apoligise for his comment at the Dursley's earlier. His frustrations at coming back here had gotten the better of him and that usually caused him to say things he didn't always mean. He knew he had to work at controlling that.  
He slowly made his way to the room that Buckbeak occupied. Opening the door slowly he saw Lupin sitting down beside Sirius' former pet, stroking it's back. He must have been deep in thought since he didn't hear Harry enter.  
" Lupin?" Harry said quielty, remembering that he didn't want to be called professor anymore. Still, it felt awkward calling him by his surname.  
Lupin looked up, shocked to see that someone else was in the room.  
" Harry, I didn't see you there." he said, smiling.  
" Mrs. Weasley wanted me to tell you dinner is ready" Harry informed him, making his way over to Lupin. As he got closer he realised he was looking at what appeared to be a photo album. Laying by his feet was a small case of old looking objects. The case resembled a muggle shoe box.  
" This picture right here," Lupin began, pointing at a small picture of four boys " Was taken at Hogwarts, third year I believe. That in the middle, of course, is your father, then Sirius myself and Peter."A small smile seemed to develope onto his face as he observed a picture that must have brought back happier times.  
Harry looked over the picture a he took a seat next to Lupin. His father, indeed, stood in the middle of the group, one arm on Sirius' shoulder the other on Lupin's with Peter beside him. All four boys had big smile's on their faces and Peter waved happily at Harry.  
" This one was taken in seventh year when your mother finally agreed to go out with James" he said with a small laugh in his voice.  
A happy smile came to Harry's face as he looked down at a picture of his seventeen year old parents. They were sitting outside by the lake, holding hands while Sirius was making a goofy face behind them. But, Harry's smile faded as he looked at his happy parents and godfather. They didn't know what was going to happen...that in a few short years they were going to be dead while their best friend spent over a decade in prison.  
" Look, professor Lupin, I just wanted to say that-"  
Lupin waved his hand at Harry signaling for him to go no further. " You were right Harry, I don't show it. " He sighed, looking down at the photo album once more.  
" You're father, Sirius and Peter were the best friend's I've ever had. I never had any friend's when I was a child, because of what I am and I guess I am use to bottling all my feelings up."  
" When your father died, Harry, I couldn't believe it. With Sirius is Azkaban, Peter, who I thought was dead...I felt like I had no one. " he took a deep breath, not looking at Harry but at the floor as he played with his hands." But in your third year, when we both learned the truth about Sirius, it was like, like I had one out of my two best friends back. Now, again...I'm alone"  
" You're not alone.." Harry trailed off " You have me and everyone in the Order."  
Lupin smiled down at Harry and out an arm around his shoulder.  
" You know...um....I know you use to tell Sirius everything...I just want you to know that if you ever need anything or want to talk, I am there."  
" Thanks professor Lupin" Harry grinned. For the first time since June he felt his spirits lift but he couldn't help but wonder in the back of his mind if he would loose Lupin too. It felt like every parental figure he ever had he has lost and he didn't want to loose Lupin as well.  
" Harry, about this professor Lupin Stuff...it just sounds so....formal and well, old" he smiled. " From now on...call me Remus."  
" Ok-er-Remus." Lupin smiled warmly down at his best friend's son.  
" Here...." he replied, handing Harry the old, worn photo album. " It was Sirius' book. I came across it up here while cleaning up."  
" Wow...thanks. What are you going to do with all of his stuff?" Harry asked, curiously. Remus rubbed the back of his necked and scanned the room.  
" That's the thing, Harry, he left it all to you."  
  
A/N: Please Review guys! I swear it will get better and the chapters longer :) 


	3. OWLS

Chapter Three

OWLS

            " He left it all to me?" Harry replied in disbelief, gazing at the far right corner of the room that held a lot of dusty objects. " But-but we got rid of most of the stuff last summer, didn't we?"

            " Yes, most of it anyway. A lot of this is Sirius' Personal belongings while some of it is his families belongings that we didn't get around to discarding last year."

            A pained expression came across Remus' face as he spoke of his friend. Stroking Buckbeak one last time, he slowly stood up and glanced once more around the room.

            " You are quite welcome to come up here whenever you like and sort through some of it, But right now what do you say we head down to dinner?"

            " Why don't you go ahead..I'm-well...I am not really that hungry" Harry admitted, not moving from his position on the floor. 

            Remus looked down at him with a worried expression on his face. " Are you sure? most of the order is here"

            He usually would love to go down and eat dinner with everyone but right now he wasn't in the mood. It wasn't just because he wasn't hungry; part of it was because he wasn't ready to face everyone. He just wanted to be alone at the moment.

            " Yea, I think I just want to be alone for a bit" he replied. 

            " I understand, Harry." he said, placing his hand on Harry's shoulder before exiting the room.

            Sighing Harry stroked Buckbeak as he continued to flip through some of Sirius' old photographs. The book was filled front to back with years of memories from his days at Hogwart's to a picture taken of him and Harry last Christmas. Sirius stood behind him, both of his hands on Harry's shoulders. They were grinning broadly at the camera.

            He didn't know how long he sat up there just staring at this picture. It was one of the only pictures he now had of himself with his godfather. That guilty feeling once more filled his body as he thought of how little time he had with him. 

            " I don't want to think about that," he thought to himself as he slammed the book shut and stood up.  He was about to leave the room when something caught his eye. Resting on a small table several feet away from Buckbeak was a mirror. This wasn't just an ordinary mirror though; it was the twin of the mirror he gave Harry the previous year to get in contact with him. Harry's mirror, however, rested broken at the bottom of his trunk. 

            " What's it doing up here?" he wondered to himself. Then it hit him like a ton of galleons. When Harry tried to get a hold of Sirius, Kreacher told him he wasn't there but Harry found out later he was upstairs tending to a hurt Buckbeak. Sirius must of had the mirror up here with him incase he tried to get in contact with him.

            Harry continued to stare at mirror as the corners of his eyes began to sting. Maybe if he had remembered the mirror, Sirius would still be here he thought. 

            " Harry?" came a soft voice. 

            Harry quickly wiped his eyes before turning around to see Ginny standing in the doorway. She had changed a great deal since last year. She had grown at least an inch in height and her flaming red hair was now half way down her back. She indeed, looked more mature then Harry had remembered. 

            " When you didn't come down for dinner we got worried about you. I thought I'd come up and see if you were ok.," she stated, standing behind him.

            Harry stayed quiet for a minute as he stared at the floor. He knew everyone was concerned about him, especially Ron and Hermione but what was he to say to him or her? " It's all my fault Sirius is dead and, by the way, I am the only one who can defeat Voldemort." Yea, that would go over well. He knew exactly what would happen. Hermione would worry and read through every book she could that contained information about prophecies while Ron would be too shocked to say anything. He came to the conclusion that he wasn't going to tell them, not just yet anyway. He didn't want them worrying even more about him then they already were.

            " I am fine...I was just looking through some stuff up here, that's all" he replied, forcing a smile onto his face. He found himself barely smiling anymore and if he did, it was usually a forced one. What was there to be happy about? His godfather died because of him and on top of that, the weight of the wizarding world rested on sixteen-year old boys shoulders.

            " Why don't you come join us in the bedroom? I think Hermione and Ron are in there playing a game of chess.

            He agreed and he slowly followed Ginny down the stairs. As they drew closer to the room, Hermione and Ron's bickering voices could be heard. 

            " I won! ha!"

            " So..this game is totally barbaric!" Hermione argued back.

            " You are just sore because this is something you aren't good at!"             

            " Oh, Ron, don't be thick! like I _care _that I am not good at some stupid wizard's chess!"

            Ginny turned around and rolled her eyes at Harry." I really wish those two would grow up and just realise they like each other" Ginny commented stopping in front of the door.

            " What do you mean?" Harry asked, confused. 

            " Well, it's obvious they like each other isn't it? They are bickering every twenty minutes! It drives me mad!" she laughed finally opening the door.

            The thought never crossed Harry's mind. True, he knew they argued a lot but he never thought it was because they _liked each other...well...not like __that anyway. This however, would explain Ron's huge jealousy problem with Krum._

            The arguing stopped instantly as they noticed Harry had entered the room. Hermione's frown turned into a happy smile at once.

            " Harry! Why didn't you come down for dinner, we have been worried about you!"

            " Yea, mate, everything OK?" Ron added.

            " I am fine" he replied probably more harshly then he intended. He was sick of people asking him if he was ok. Couldn't they just leave him alone?

            Hermione and Ron both nodded as they knew that Harry didn't want to pursue the subject any further.

            " What are you holding?" Ron asked, pointing to the brown book in Harry's hand. He had totally forgotten he was carrying the photo album still.

            " Well-er-it's just a photo album of Sirius' that Remus found upstairs. He told me that, well... Sirius has left everything to me"

            All three of their jaws dropped as Harry had said this. They stared at him like he had grown a second head.

            " He left _everything to you?" Ron gasp " even the house?." He nodded as Ron still continued to look at him with shock._

            " There's a whole bunch of Sirius' stuff upstairs in Buckbeaks room that Remus said I am welcome to go through...I just don't think I am ready yet" he admitted honestly.

            " Oh, Harry, we are so sorry, this must be so hard for you." Hermione trailed off, looking at him with worry. There was another minute's silence until Harry finally decided to break it.

            " So...what has been going on here? Anything interesting happen?"

            " Well, the Order has had several meetings over the summer..not that Ginny and I were allowed in of course" Ron stated with a small frown.

            " Fred and George even gave us some extendable ears but mum always puts an enchantment on the door...we can't hear anything!" Ginny grumbled, crossing her arms.

            " What about the death eaters? Surely the dementors have joined with Voldemort now" Harry asked as Ron shuddered.

            " The Daily Prophet reported that many expert aurors are now guarding it" Hermione added. " Kingsley, one them"

            " Really? Kingsley is one of the aurors guarding Azkaban?" Harry questioned.

            " But don't you see Harry, aurors don't have the same effect on prisoners as the dementors did! Dementors suck the happiness out of a person..they can drive some of the prisoners mad. I think it's just a matter of time before they escape and rejoin with Voldemort."

            " Hermione, the top aurors are guarding it, they won't escape." Ron argued.

            Harry was well aware of the effects Dementors had on a person, having encountered them in his third year and the previous summer, but he had to agree with Hermione on this one. Without the Dementors gaurding Azkaban it looked like Voldemort's servants would be re-joining him sooner then many would have liked.

            Just then loud footsteps could be heard making their way up the rickety stairs putting and end to their conversation.

            " Bet that's mum" Ron said looking at Harry. Sure enough Mrs. Weasley appeared in the bedroom a few seconds later telling them it was time for bed.

            " It's been a long day and I am sure Harry would like to get some sleep," she bellowed shooing Hermione and Ginny out of the room. 

            " But mum, it's not even late!" Ginny's voice could be heard down the hallway.

            " Now, I want you boys to get some sleep." 

            Ron sighed as soon as Mrs. Weasley shut the door. " You would think we were still five years old" Ron complained slipping his pyjama's on. Harry laughed at him silently as he put on his own pyjamas and climbed into bed. A peaceful relaxation soon came over him as he closed his heavy eyes.

            _He was standing in a dark forest heading into an open clearing. In the middle of the clearing several dark shadows could be made out. His heart beat louder as he got closer to the unknown people. Who were they and what were they doing? _

_            An ear-piercing scream suddenly filled the chilly, night air. He then began to run, he needed to help whoever it was that was in trouble. _

_            " Stupid girl! tell me where he is!" a low, grumbly voice growled. The dark figures all stood in a semi-circle, blocking whoever was in trouble from view. As he reached the circle he knew instantly who these people were...they were death eaters._

_            " I will never tell you!" the girl shrieked, shaking and trembling as she lay on the moist earth. _

_            " Then I guess we aren't getting through to you..you have one more chance. Tell us where Potter is!"_

_            The girl was lying on her stomach shaking as Harry pushed past to get a better view. His heart heart sunk to the pit of his stomach as he realised who the girl was._

_            " Never!" she shouted, silent tears streaming down her face._

_            " Hermione!" he shouted running towards her. She struggled to get up but fell back down again due to weakness. Her once lively face was now sunken and pale._

_            " Well...." growled the voice "as you wish..."_

_            " Hermione! No!" Harry shouted again " Hermione, look at me!." But she never did. For some reason he couldn't go no further, it was like an invisible barrier was stopping him._

_            " I am right here! Come and get me,!!" he shouted but, they too, acted as if he wasn't there, not even glancing at him._

_            " Crucio!" the voice boomed._

_            Her intense screams filled the air once again as she shook violently on the ground._

_            " No!" he shouted, trying with all his might to reach his friend with no success. _

_            Harry bolted up right in his bed, sweat pouring down his face. He shook as he scanned the dark bedroom and saw that Ron was snoring peacefully in his bed. _

            Laying back down he decided to try and close his eyes, but he couldn't get the vision of Hermione out of his mind. He wasn't going to let them get involved in this. He didn't want them getting hurt because of him, like they almost did last year. There was no way he was going to loose his best friends too.

            When he woke the next morning he noticed Ron was already getting dressed. He looked at Harry and smiled as he saw that he was awake.

            " Better hurry up and get down to breakfast before mum has a fit" he informed Harry as he pulled his navy blue sweater over his head. " Are you alright? You look like you barely slept a wink."

            This couldn't be further from the truth. He ended up tossing and turning all night long after he had awoken from that dream.

            " They are here! they are here!!" Hermione's voice boomed as she burst into the boys' room with a huge smile on her face. She was waving three letters frantically in the air.

            " Hermione, what is here?" Ron questioned, rolling his eyes.

            Hermione gave him a 'duh' glare as she showed him the letters. " Our O.W.L.S have arrived!" she beamed, passing Ron and Harry theirs. " I thought we should all open them together."

            " Great...can't wait to see what I got" Ron said sarcastically, as he slowly opened his letter.

            Harry stared at his letter for a few seconds before opening it. This was it...this was going to decide whether or not he had a chance at being an auror. He quickly tore open his letter and began to read through it. He was happy to see that he achieved and "E" on charms an "O" in Defence against the Dark Arts, and an "O" in transfiguration. He wasn't surprised to see that he did rather poorly in divination and history. It wasn't like he cared though; he didn't want to pursue these subjects any further. In Care of Magical Creature he was glad to see that he received an "E".

            He took a deep breath as he looked at his potions mark. This was the last subject he needed to do good on. His heart sunk as he noticed he had received an "A" in potions when he needed an "O" to be accepted into Snape's NEWT class. His low spirits, however, didn't last for long as he read a small note beside it.

            " _Congratulations. You have been accepted into NEWT Potions."_

            He was accepted? But how? Snape had clearly said he _only _allowed people who got "O" on their O.W.L.S into his NEWT class, it didn't make any sense.

            Harry's thoughts though, were broken by Ron's voice.

            " I guess I did alright...."

            Harry examined Ron's letter and was happy to see that Ron achieved close marks to himself. Only difference was that he received an "E" in transfiguration and an "A" in divination. He did, however, receive an "A" in potions just like Harry.

            " You got an A in potions as well! did Snape accept you into his NEWT class too?" Harry questioned, looking at Ron.

            " No...he said he only accepted people with O's, remember?. Not that I am upset about it of course."

            Harry was about to comment when Hermiones happy voice cut in. " I can't believe it! I thirteen OWLS

            " You got 13 O.W.L.S?" Ron repeated " Wow..Hermione..that must be some kind of record!"

            " Congratulations Hermione!" Harry smiled, stepping up and hugging his friend. " Ron is right...that must be some kind of record!"

            Hermione blushed and scanned her letter one more time. " Well, I only got an "E" in Defence against the Dark Arts..."

            " Still...congratulations Hermione!" Ron added.

            " Thank you. How did you guys do?"

            " I did fairly well...you know.." Ron trailed off as Hermione stole his letter from him.

            " Wow, well done Ron. I am impressed! she smiled scanning over his marks. How about you Harry?" Harry handed her his sheet and she smiled. 

            " Well done! I knew you could do it!" 

            " I just don't understand how I got accepted into NEWT potions when I only achieved and "A".

            Ron then moved closer to Hermione to scan over Harry's sheet as well. " That is weird. I got the same mark and wasn't accepted.

            " I don't understand either..." she said, looking as though she was deep in thought. 

            __


	4. Authors Note!

Authors Note: Hey guys I am here to just announce that this story will no longer be updated on here. but it will be posted on my friends and my Harry Potter site at www.fans-of-rowling.com. The title has changed to the Black Medallion. so if you like this story and wish to keep reading please visit there where there are serveral new chapters posted. Thanks a bunches guyz!

Snuffles(tonks85)


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